Fire breaks out in house, 3 of a family die of asphyxiation in Ahmedabad

Three members of a family including a six-year-old child died of asphyxiation after fire broke out in their house in New H Colony of Shahpur on Monday morning.

Madhavpura police identified the victims as Jayesh Vaghela, 38, a sanitation worker with Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, his wife Hansa Vaghela, 35, and their child Rehan, six.

Inspector G R Gadhvi said that it is still not known if the fire broke out due to a short circuit or after something was lit or whether it was a case of suicide pact. Gadhvi said that the incident took place at around 5am on Monday.

When Vaghela's kin reached the ground floor, they found that the room was locked from inside.

They broke open the door and found the three people with burn injuries lying unconscious.

A team of Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services (AFES), which was called in, doused the fire, said Gadhvi. However, the three members of Vaghela family were reportedly dead by then.

A forensic expert was also called at the spot. His report will make it clear if there was any inflammable substance in the house, the cops said.

Madhavpura police have registered a case of accidental death and begun investigation. This is the second case of death due to fire in the city in three days.

On Saturday morning, Naresh Parghi,25, a resident of Pratapgarh of Rajasthan, and his wife Harsha Parghi, 24, died of asphyxiation inside an eye care centre in Naranpura after a fire broke out. The couple worked as caretakers at the centre.